Former television presenter Stuart Hall has been charged with 15 offences of rape against two teenage girls.

Hall, probably best known for fronting the comedy game show It's a Knockout in the 1970s and 80s, allegedly sexually assaulted one of the girls between the ages of 14 and 16, from 1976 to 1978.

The second girl was allegedly assaulted between the ages of 11 or 12 and 15, from 1976 and 1981, when Hall was at the height of his fame.

Hall at his Wilmslow home

Lancashire Police said that Hall, 83, faces 16 charges in all, 15 of rape and one of indecent assault.

Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said: "Following a careful review, we have decided that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute Stuart Hall for 16 alleged sexual offences against two girls and that it is in the public interest to do so.

"It is alleged that Stuart Hall committed offences against one girl, aged between 14 and 16, from 1976 to 1978 and another girl, aged between 11 or 12 and 15, from 1976 to 1981.

"This decision to prosecute has been taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, the CPS legal guidance on rape and sexual offences and the DPP's guidelines on prosecuting cases of child sexual abuse."

Hall, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, who is married with two children and four grandchildren, will appear at Preston Magistrates' Court on November 8.

The offences allegedly took place in Manchester, Sale and Wilmslow.

Hall has been a familiar face and voice in British broadcasting for half a century, most recently with his eccentric and erudite football match summaries on BBC Radio 5 live. He also wrote a weekly sport column for the Radio Times magazine until recently.